MILITARY SERVICE.

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 September 1917, Page 2

MILITARY SERVICE.

or .wealth

SECOjNT) DIVISION LEAGUE'S PROPOSALS.

WELLINGTON, Sept. 28. The following is tlie text o 7 a resolution moved at the Second Division League Conference by Mv T. Buxton (Temufca), seconded by Mr H. F. Toogood (Eeatherston): "That this meeting of the national federation of the Second Division Leagues of New Zealand urges * upon the National ■'Government the equity and justice of its dwmantls in the matter of allowances and pensions as placed before "the Minister by the deputation yesterday, .and contends, if financial difficulties stand in the way of granting the demands, that the Government lake immediate steps ,to put on the,Statute Book legislaion providing that no person in New Zealand shall receive a net income of ovehr ,£SOO per annum uutil the _ war ends; that this meeting contends that the strong arm- of the law that can reduce the net income of the Second Division soldier and has power to Jay hands upon him and to take him away from his wife and children, can with greater justice deal with the pay of the man who remains at home in comparative luxury and safetyBy such action being taken this meeting of delegates is of opinion that it would be an expression at least in a small degree of the willingness to accept equality of sacrifice so much flouted and so little practised; such legislation to apply to all salaries. Further than this, the conference respects the position of unfit men who will not be called upon for service and who are quite prepared to come under the scope of this resolution, if no other means of raising the required money can be made available."

EQUALITY' OF SACRIFICE. NEW PENSIONS PROPOSAL'S. (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 28. The Second Division Conference resolved unanimously "That this Conference of the National Federation of the New Zealand Second Division Leagues urges emphatically upon the Government the equity and justice of the league's demands in the matter of provision for soldiers and their dependents and the application of equality of sacrilice to all sections of the community, and deplores and disagrees with the .Ministerial statements that the necessary taxation will imperil the financial stability of the Dominion; and, further,* holds that the Government must, in carrying on New Zealand's part in the war, facc_as a war measure the responsibility of applying the principle of equality of saorifico down to the level which that principle demands and circumstances render necessary. A committee which had waited upon tlie Minister reported that the amounts payable to widows will be increased from 10s to 15s, under which arrangement the scale will be : Widow, without child, per week £2 ss. Widow, with one child, £3 2s 6(1. Widow, with two children, £3 10s. Widow, with three children, £3 17s Gd. Widow, with four children, £4. It was decided to ask the Government to insert a provision in the Bill making the pensions payable to the men from the dale of their first parade and in the case of death to the wife and children. The conference h<ls adjourned.